Furniture supporting system

ABSTRACT

Bracket members and standards for hanging furniture elements from walls, the members and standards interengaging each other to permit the bracket members to be slid into an infinite number of vertical positions. Retention of the bracket members at any desired position is accomplished by loading the bracket member with a furniture element, the resultant binding between the bracket and standard being sufficient without the use of fasteners to retain said desired position. The bracket members are interchangeable between different modes of mounting the standards.

StatES Patent [191 [11] 3,73%46 Magnusen May 1, 1973 [54] FURNITURESUPPORTING SYSTEM FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Filed:

Appl. No.: 209,792

Inventor: David L. Magnusen, Lake Forest,

Assignee: United States Gypsum Company,

Chicago, 111.

Dec. 20, 197 1 us. c1. ..248/246, 108/108, 21 1/148 1111. c1. ..A47g29/02 Field of Search ..248/243, 244, 245,

References Cited 9 UNITED STATES PATENTS Hunter ..248/245 Tibbals....

527,310 3/1955 Italy ..248/245 Primary ExaminerJ. Franklin FossAttorney-Stanton T. Hadley et al.

[57] ABSTRACT 27 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FURNITURE SUPPORTING SYSTEMBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A common method in modern wall constructionfor the support of various items of furniture is to provide inconjunction with the studs a bracket standard formed with verticallyspaced slots for engaging the furniture supporting brackets or bracketmembers. See e.g. US. Pat. No. 3,429,090. Among other things, suchconstruction suffers the disadvantage of permitting bracket members tobe inserted at only predetermined discrete levels rather than at anylevel. Older systems of the types illustrated in US. Pat. Nos. 1,276,677and 2,703,692 avoided this disadvantage by providing grooved standardswithin which bracket members could be slid. However, this systemretained the bracket members at a given height by means of pointprojections on the members which were forced into the side wall of thestandard. Not only did such projections add to the expense of theconstruction, they also had to be disengaged prior to changing thebracket rnembers elevation. The preferred manner of such disengagementwas to pivot the bracket member upwardly, which of course could not bedone while retaining articles on a shelf in contact with the bracketmember. Thus, the item of furniture so supported had to be completelyremoved from the wall whenever a vertical adjustment was desired.

Yet another disadvantage of many, if not all, of the prior systems hasbeen that the bracket and/or standard was designed for use in only onetype of wall attachment. For example, the system shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,429,540 is designed to be attached to a wallboard and not to any otherelements of a wall construction such as the stud. Thus, if differentwall mounting techniques are desired, an entirely different type ofbracket and standard had to be used.

SUMMARY OF 'THE INVENTION The disclosure relates to a bracket-typefurniture supporting system which provides a simple vertical retentionmechanism that permits an infinite number of vertical positions and isreleased merely by removing the load, but not the furniture, from thebrackets. More specifically, there is provided a system comprising atleast one bracket member having a vertically extending edge, a standardhaving at least one resilient member and means for binding at least theedge of the bracket member within at least the resilient member uponapplication of a load to the bracket member, the binding means providingthe sole vertical retention of the bracket member relative to thestandard.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a furnituresupport system and components therefor, featuring brackets soconstructed as to permit continuous, infinitely variable, verticalpositioning of the brackets without having to completely disconnectfurniture therefrom.

It is a related object of the invention to provide such a system whereinthe bracket is constructed so as to retain its vertical position only bythe application of a vertical load thereto so that cancellation of theload permits continuous vertical adjustment.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a system whereinthe component parts are simplified in their construction and reduced innumber, thereby reducing the cost of manufacture.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a system whereina variety of wall systems can be used to mount the same bracket.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reference to thefollowing drawings and detailed discussion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a furniture supporting system constructed in accordance with theinvention, mounted at any position or location on a gypsum wallboard;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through theconstruction of FIG. 1, illustrating in addition a right-hand bracketvertically spaced from the left-hand bracket;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view similar to FIG. 2, butillustrating an alternate embodiment of the standard; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view illustrating yetanother embodiment of the standard.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention concerns themounting of elements on various wall constructions by the use ofbrackets positioned within a standard at any desired vertical level. Forconvenience, the examples given illustrate furniture elements andparticularly shelves, but it will be appreciated that the invention isnot limited thereto. Rather, table tops, small desks, and drawer unitsalso can be supported by the brackets of the invention, merely by theuse of conventional fasteners to attach the furniture element to thebracket. Even elements such as electrical and plumbing fixtures can bemounted by the invention.

As used in this application, descriptions of orientations, such asvertical" or rear, apply to the members as mounted on a wall in theirassembled orientation.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a wall 10 constructed ofconventional gypsum wallboard 12, from which projects a shelf 14supported by the construction of the invention. In accordance with oneaspect of the invention, the support is provided by a standard 20mounted at any convenient vertical position by conventional expandingbolts 22, the standard in turn having engaged therewith and projectingtherefrom brackets 40 and 40' which carry directly the furniture load.For convenience, bracket 40 will be designated in the left-hand bracket,as shown, while bracket 40 will be designated the right-hand bracket, asshown. The two brackets illustrate that they can be positioned atdifferent, continuously variable vertical positions or heights, as willbe further explained hereafter.

Turning specifically to the standard 20, this member of the constructioncomprises a body portion 24 having a back surface 26 (FIG. 2) againstwhich the wallboard l2 abuts when the standard is assembled. Toaccommodate the fasteners 22 whereby the standard is fixed to thewallboard, holes 28 (FIG. 2) are drilled in the body portion 24. Inaccordance with another aspect of the invention, the body portionterminates with two resilient members 30 which are preferably spacedapart approximately the full width of the standard and extendcontinuously the full length of the standard. The resilient member maybe characterized as hooks 32 which generally spiral in upon themselvesand curve toward each other, to mate with the brackets in a releasible,but load-binding, manner as described hereafter. The hooks thus arespaced from the standard so as to form a curved spiraling groove 31(FIG. 2) into which the bracket members fit, the grooves in thisembodiment curving outwardly away from each other. The inward spirallingof the hooks terminate at end portions 33 thereof. The hooks 32 must beprovided with a flat exterior surface 34 to permit the insertion of thebrackets, described below. To weaken the bending resistance of hooks 32and thereby render the members 30 sufficiently flexible, a pair ofvertically-extending grooves 36 may be formed, such as at the junctureof the members 30 with the body portion 24 as shown. A further pair ofvertically-extending grooves 38 are also formed in the body portion ofthe standard to accommodate a complementary-shaped rib in the brackets.All of the vertical grooves preferably extend the full length of thestandard to permit continuous vertical adjustment and an infinite numberof heights at which the furniture elements may be mounted. Thus, takenas a whole, it will be immediately apparent that the standard has alongitudinally extending plane of symmetry centered within the bodyportion, the members 30 being mirror images of each other.

Turning now specifically to the brackets 40 and 40, these members aremirror images of each other, and accordingly the same reference numeralsare applied without distinction as to right or left hand. Thus, eachbracket is provided with an arm portion having a top edge 42 (FIG. 2), abottom edge 44, a front hook 46, and a vertically-extending rear edge48. The top edge and hook 46 serve to support and engage the shelf 14.The edge 48, which preferably extends from edge 42 to edge 44, ischaracterized by a hook 50 which is curved to form approximatelyone-half a loop, the radius of curvature of which mates with the radiusof curvature of end portion 33 of the standard members 30. Each hook 50is directed the direction in which the corresponding groove 31 curves.To preclude the bracket from being displaced laterally from engagementwith the standards members 30 by lateral forces, a rib 54 (FIG. 2) fixedto edge 48 extends the full length of hook 50 and projects outwardlytherefrom away from bracket hook 46. The shape of the rib is shown asbeing semi-cylindrical, but any shape is acceptable as long as itcomplements the shape of groove 38 and can be forced thereinto.

Thus, it will be apparent that the bracket member can be inserted intothe standard in the fashion indicated in phantom in FIG. 2. The bracketis caused to rotate from a position flush to surface 34, into one inwhich the hook is forced into the groove 31 until the rib 54 snaps intoplace within the notch on groove 38. The flat surface 34 of hook 32 ispreferable for the initial insertion of the bracket hook. The resiliencyof the hook 32, especially as aided by groove 36, permits hook 32 to bedisplaced horizontally due to the rib 54 being forced into groove 31just before it snaps into place in groove 38. The fit of the rib 54 intothe groove, and hook 50 into the resilient hook 32, is such that thebracket member can be caused with little effort to slide reaction forcesresisting rotation develop frictional resistance to vertical movement ofthe bracket. The magnitude of the resisting horizontal forces will be afunction of the length of edge 48 as well as the magnitude of the loadapplied and its horizontal distance from the support. Thus for a givenload to be applied at a given location, the length of edge 48 can bedesigned to accommodate the intended load and the strength of thematerials used. The bracket is thus retained at its desired verticallocation without the aid of fasteners or teeth projecting into the wallof the standard. Subsequently, the brackets can be moved to a newvertical location simply by cancelling out the vertical load upon them,and sliding them as desired.

Any number of brackets 40 and 40' can be mounted upon the same standard,to support similar or different furniture elements at different heights.If the slope of the bottom edge 44 is not required for astheticpurposes, then bottom edge 44 can be a mirror image of top edge 42 asshown in phantom, FIG. 1. The result is that the same bracket can beused for the right-hand bracket 40 or the left-hand bracket 40, simplyby turning it over. The result is to reduce the number of componentparts and simplify the work of the person assembling the parts.

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternate embodiment wherein the standard has beenmodified so as to function, among other things, as a stud supporting thewall. Parts similar to those previously described bear the samereference numeral to which the distinguishing suffix a has been added.Thus, standard 20a has two resilient members 30a which are spaced apartapproximately the width of the standard, and away from the body of thestandard to form grooves 31a which curve away from each other. The samebrackets 40 as in the previous embodiment are engaged within the members30a, the rib 54 being snapped into grooves 380 as depicted in phantom byarrows 52 and 55 to prevent lateral displacement of the bracket memberaway from member 30a. In these respects, the embodiment of FIG. 3 is thesame as the previously described embodiment. However, two standards 20aand 20a are formed together with a connecting, vertically extendingcenter web 60, and parallel tracks 62 and 64 extend from each side ofthe standards so that the standards become wall-supporting studs 65.That is, each track 62 and 64 comprises wall-supporting flanges 66 whichaccommodate therebetween the edge of a wallboard 12a. Yet anotherdifference in the embodiment of FIG. 3 is that the resilient members 30ahave been modified so that, instead ofa hook, a full-sized bead 70 isprovided. Such a construction has the advantage of permitting more readyextrusion than the in-spiralling construction of hook 32 of the previousembodiment. A further modification is the elimination of groove 36 usedfor weakening the member 30a, the groove 31a extending sufficiently farto give the connection 72 of bead 70 to the standard sufficientresiliency to accommodate the rib 54a being forced into place in groove38a. It will be readily apparent that these latter modifications to theresilient member 30a could also be applied to the previous embodimentshown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Yet another feature which can be provided in conjunction with the studs65 is the use of a decorative batten 80 if standard a thereof, forexample, is not to be used to support bracket members. That is, althoughbracket members 40 may be required in conjunction with standard 20a,they may not be in conjunction with standard 20a on the opposite side ofthe wall. In that case, a batten 80 extruded or otherwise formed from aresilient elastomeric material may be forced into place, hiding therecess formed by the beads 70. The batten features a generally planarbase 81 or other decorative shape and a pair of hooks 82 and 84 curvedaway from each other and having radii of curvature which match that ofthe surface 74 of the beads 70. As with the brackets, a rib 86 may beformed on hook 82 to snap into groove 38a, or it may be eliminated as onhook 84. The resiliency of the batten is such that the hooks 82 and 84are readily bent sufficiently to be inserted between beads 70 until theexternal surface 81 thereof is flush with the flat faces 34a of themembers a and the flanges 66. Alternatively, the batten can be extrudedfrom aluminum, in which case the hooks 82 and 84 must be somewhatshorter in length to permit them to snap into the grooves 31a.

Turning now to HO. 4, there is illustrated yet another embodiment of thestandard wherein the resilient members thereof are positioned oppositelyto the position they occupy in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. Partssimilar to those previously described bear the same reference numeral towhich the distinguishing suffix b has been added. Thus, standard 20b ismounted at its back surface 26a on a wallboard 12b by suitablefasteners, not shown, and has extending from its front face resilientmembers 30b, which can be either hooks 32b or beads 70b, or both. Unlikeprevious embodiments, the resilient members 30b face away from eachother so that the grooves 31b formed by their spacing from the frontface of the standard curve inwardly towards each other. The same bracketmember as used in the previous embodiments is mounted and can be slid,if not loaded, within the resilient members by means of hook 50 fittingwithin groove 31b, the rib 54 acting as before to prevent lateraldisplacement.

It will be recognized that the invention thus described has theadvantage of using the same bracket members regardless whether thestandard is mounted on the face ofa wallboard, or is formed as part ofastud supporting the wallboard. Thus, considerable versatility isachieved.

Although the invention has been described in connection with certainpreferred embodiments, it is not intended that it be limited thereto.Rather, it is intended that it cover all embodiments, equivalents, andarrangements as may be included within the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A furniture supporting system comprising at least one bracket memberhaving a vertically extending edge, a standard having at least oneresilient member, and means for binding at least the edge of the bracketmember within at least the resilient member upon application of a loadto the bracket member, the standard and the bracket member being free ofhorizontally extending, interlocking projections, whereby said bindingmeans provides the sole vertical retention of the bracket memberrelative to the standard.

2. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 1, and furtherincluding means fixed to said edge for retaining the bracket memberwithin the standard against lateral deflection.

3. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 2, whereinsaidretaining means includes a vertically extending rib projecting fromat least a portion of said vertically extending edge, the standard beingcooperatively shaped to receive the rib therewithin.

4. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 1, wherein thevertically extending edge is cooperatively shaped to mate with, and beslidably mounted in a vertical direction within said resilient member.

5. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 4, wherein theresilient member and the vertically extending edge include interengagingsurfaces curved to mate with one another.

6. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 5, wherein thestandard further includes a second resilient member shaped to mate witha bracket, both of said resilient members being provided with curvedgrooves therewithin, said grooves curving outwardly away from eachother.

7. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 6, wherein saidresilient members each have a generally flat exterior surface forcooperation with said bracket members in the assembly of the same withthe standard, and wherein said resilient members are spaced outwardlyaway from the standard and from each other, creating a gap between themwhich breaks up the appearance of a flat plane created by said flatsurfaces.

8. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 7, and furtherincluding a decorative strip having a generally planar, exterior surfaceand means for accommodating the strip within said grooves so as toposition said planar surface generally flush with said flat surfaces,whereby said gap is covered from view.

9. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 5, wherein thestandard further includes a second resilient member shaped to mate witha bracket, both of said resilient members being provided with curvedgrooves therewithin, said grooves curving inwardly towards each other.

110. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 1, wherein thestandard includes at least one notch extending substantially the fulllength of the standard.

11. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 10, wherein thenotch is positioned so as to weaken the bending resistance of saidresilient member, whereby its resiliency is increased.

12. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 10, wherein atleast a portion of said vertically extending edge projects into saidnotch so as to retain the bracket member within the standard againstlateral forces tending to displace the bracket member laterally withrespect to the standard.

13. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 12, and furtherincluding a second notch within said standard positioned so as to weakenthe bending resistance of said resilient member, whereby its resiliencyis increased.

14. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 1, wherein saidresilient member extends continuously the full length of the standard.

15. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 1, wherein saidstandard further includes a body portion having means for fixing thestandard to a wall, said means including a back surface, said resilientmember projecting outwardly away from the body portion and the backsurface.

16. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 15, and furtherincluding a second resilient member projecting outwardly away from saidbody portion and back surface, said one and second resilient membersbeing spaced apart approximately the full width of the standard.

17. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 16, wherein thestandard has a plane of symmetry extending longitudinally through thebody portion whereby said resilient members are mirror images of eachother.

18. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 1, wherein saidstandard further includes a wallsupporting portion, whereby saidstandard functions also as a stud.

19. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 18, and furtherincluding a second resilient member projecting outwardly away from saidwall-supporting portion, said one and second resilient members beingspaced apart approximately the full width of the standard.

20. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 19, wherein thestandard has a plane of symmetry extending longitudinally through thewall-supporting 21. A furniture supporting bracket member for use with astandard, comprising an arm portion having means for engaging furniture,and an edge portion, said edge portion being characterized by a hook,said hook having means for retaining the edge within the standardagainst lateral displacement, said retaining means including a rib fixedto said edge portion and projecting outwardly away from and extendingalong at least a portion of said edge portion away from saidfurnitureengaging means.

22. A standard for engaging and supporting furniture-supporting bracketmembers so as to project from a wall, said standardcomprising a bodyportion having means for fixing the standard to the wall and at leastone resilient member projecting outwardly away from said body portion,said member being characterized by an inwardly spiraling groove curvedto accommodate a cooperatively shaped bracket, said groove being free ofhorizontally extending, bracket-engaging projections.

23. The standard as defined in claim 22, and further including a secondresilient member projecting outwardly away from said body portion, saidone and second resilient members being spaced apart approximatel thefull width of the standard.

24. he standard as defined in claim 23, wherein the standard has a planeof symmetry extending longitudinally through the body portion wherebysaid resilient members are mirror images of each other.

25. The standard as defined in claim 22, wherein said standard furtherincludes a wall-supporting portion, whereby said standard functions alsoas a stud.

26. The standard as defined in claim 25, and further including a secondresilient member projecting outwardly away from said wall-supportingportion, said one and second resilient members being spaced apartapproximately the full width of the standard.

27. The standard as defined in claim 26, wherein the standard has aplane of symmetry extending longitudinally through the wall-supportingportion whereby said resilient edges are mirror images of each other.

1. A furniture supporting system comprising at least one bracket memberhaving a vertically extending edge, a standard having at least oneresilient member, and means for binding at least the edge of the bracketmember within at least the resilient member upon application of a loadto the bracket member, the standard and the bracket member being free ofhorizontally extending, interlocking projections, whereby said bindingmeans provides the sole vertical retention of the bracket memberrelative to the standard.
 2. The furniture supporting system as definedin claim 1, and further including means fixed to said edge for retainingthe bracket member within the standard against lateral deflection. 3.The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 2, wherein saidretaining means includes a vertically extending rib projecting from atleast a portion of said vertically extending edge, the standard beingcooperatively shaped to receive the rib therewithin.
 4. The furnituresupporting system as defined in claim 1, wherein the verticallyextending edge is cooperatively shaped to mate with, and be slidablymounted in a vertical direction within said resilient member.
 5. Thefurniture supporting system as defined in claim 4, wherein the resilientmember and the vertically extending edge include interengaging surfacescurved to mate with one another.
 6. The furniture supporting system asdefined in claim 5, wherein the standard further includes a secondresilient member shaped to mate with a bracket, both of said resilientmembers being provided with curved grooves therewithin, said groovescurving outwardly away from each other.
 7. The furniture supportingsystem as defined in claim 6, wherein said resilient members each have agenerally flat exterior surface for cooperation with said bracketmembers in the assembly of the same with the standard, and wherein saidresilient members are spaced outwardly away from the standard and fromeach other, creating a gap between them which breaks up the appearanceof a flat plane created by said flat surfaces.
 8. The furnituresupporting system as defined in claim 7, and further including adecorative strip having a generally planar, exterior surface and meansfor accommodating the strip within said grooves so as to position saidplanar surface generally flush with said flat surfaces, whereby said gapis covered from view.
 9. The furniture supporting system as defined inclaim 5, wherein the standard further includes a second resilient membershaped to mate with a bracket, both of said resilient members beingprovided with curved grooves therewithin, said grooves curving inwardlytowards each other.
 10. The furniture supporting system as defined inclaim 1, wherein the standard includes at least one notch extendingsubstantially the full length of the standard.
 11. The furnituresupporting system as defined in claim 10, wherein the notch ispositioned so as to weaken the bending resistance of said resilientmember, whereby its resiliency is increased.
 12. The furnituresupporting system as defined in claim 10, wherein at least a portion ofsaid vertically extending edge projects into said notch so as to retainthe bracket member within the standard against lateral forces tending todisplace the bracket member laterally with respect to the standard. 13.The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 12, and furtherincluding a second notch within said standard positioned so as to weakenthe bending resistance of said resilient member, whereby its resiliencyis increased.
 14. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 1,wherein said resilient member extends continuously the full length ofthe standard.
 15. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 1,wherein said standard further includes a body portion having means forfixing the standard to a wall, said means including a back surface, saidresilient member projecting outwardly away from the body portion and theback surface.
 16. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim15, and further including a second resilient member projecting outwardlyaway from said body portion and back surface, said one and secondresilient members being spaced apart approximately the full width of thestandard.
 17. The furniture supporting system as defined in claim 16,wherein the standard has a plane of symmetry extending longitudinallythrough the body portion whereby said resilient members are mirrorimages of each other.
 18. The furniture supporting system as defined inclaim 1, wherein said standard further includes a wall-supportingportion, whereby said standard functions also as a stud.
 19. Thefurniture supporting system as defined in claim 18, and furtherincluding a second resilient member projecting outwardly away from saidwall-supporting portion, said one and second resilient members beingspaced apart approximately the full width of the standard.
 20. Thefurniture supporting system as defined in claim 19, wherein the standardhas a plane of symmetry extending longitudinally through thewall-supporting portion whereby said resilient members are mirror imagesof each other.
 21. A furniture supporting bracket member for use with astandard, comprising an arm portion having means for engaging furniture,and an edge portion, said edge portion being characterized by a hook,said hook having means for retaining the edge within the standardagainst lateral displacement, said retaining means including a rib fixedto said edge portion and projecting outwardly away from and extendingalong at least a portion of said edge portion away from saidfurniture-engaging means.
 22. A standard for engaging and supportingfurniture-supporting bracket members so as to project from a wall, saidstandard comprising a body portion having means for fixing the standardto the wall and at least one resilient member projecting outwardly awayfrom said body portion, said member being characterized by an inwardlyspiraling groove curved to accommodate a cooperatively shaped bracket,said groove being free of horizontally extending, bracket-engagingprojections.
 23. The standard as defined in claim 22, and furtherincluding a second resilient member projecting outwardly away from saidbody portion, said one and second resilient membErs being spaced apartapproximately the full width of the standard.
 24. The standard asdefined in claim 23, wherein the standard has a plane of symmetryextending longitudinally through the body portion whereby said resilientmembers are mirror images of each other.
 25. The standard as defined inclaim 22, wherein said standard further includes a wall-supportingportion, whereby said standard functions also as a stud.
 26. Thestandard as defined in claim 25, and further including a secondresilient member projecting outwardly away from said wall-supportingportion, said one and second resilient members being spaced apartapproximately the full width of the standard.
 27. The standard asdefined in claim 26, wherein the standard has a plane of symmetryextending longitudinally through the wall-supporting portion wherebysaid resilient edges are mirror images of each other.